Horace Walpole

Date of Birth: September 24, 1717

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Date of Death: March 2, 1797

Biography

Horace Walpole, born Horatio Walpole, was an English writer, art historian, antiquarian, and Whig politician. He is most famous for his Gothic novel “The Castle of Otranto,” which is credited with initiating the Gothic genre in literature. Walpole was born into a prominent political family; his father, Robert Walpole, is often regarded as the first de facto Prime Minister of Great Britain. Educated at Eton College and King’s College, Cambridge, Walpole’s connections and intellect enabled him to move in influential circles. Walpole’s literary career began with a series of letters he wrote during his Grand Tour of Europe. These letters were later published and are noted for their wit and sharp observations. His most significant contribution to literature, “The Castle of Otranto,” published in 1764, combined medievalism and terror in a way that captivated readers and set the stage for later Gothic novels by writers like Ann Radcliffe and Mary Shelley. Apart from his literary pursuits, Walpole was also an avid collector and built the famous Strawberry Hill House, a Gothic Revival villa in Twickenham, London. He meticulously designed the house and its interiors, which became a symbol of the Gothic Revival movement.

5 Interesting Facts about Horace Walpole

1. Horace Walpole coined the term “serendipity” in a letter to a friend, inspired by a Persian fairy tale.

2. He was a close friend of the poet Thomas Gray, with whom he traveled extensively.

3. Walpole was a Member of Parliament for over 25 years but was known more for his literary and artistic contributions than his political achievements.

4. Strawberry Hill House, his Gothic Revival villa, inspired a trend in architecture as well as in the literary genre.

5. He published the first Gothic novel, “The Castle of Otranto,” anonymously, only revealing his authorship in the second edition.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Horace Walpole

1. “Life is a comedy for those who think, and a tragedy for those who feel.”

2. “This world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel.”

3. “The whole secret of life is to be interested in one thing profoundly and in a thousand things well.”

4. “Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is.”

5. “Serendipity is looking in a haystack for a needle and discovering a farmer’s daughter.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the peak of his career, Horace Walpole’s net worth was estimated to be equivalent to several million pounds in today’s currency, largely due to his inheritance and the success of his literary works.